Clothes-lifter



(NoModeL) PETERSON. I CLOTHES LIFTER No. 554,003. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

Inventor:

Atxorneys Witnesses:

A-N UREW BVGRAHAM,PNUTO-UTHQWASHINGTDILDC UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIcE.

\VILLIAM PETERSON, OF CLINTON, IOYVA.

CLOTH ES-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,003, dated February 4', 1896. Application filed July 1,1896. Serial No. 554,663. (No model.)

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Clinton, Clinton county, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Lifters; and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifying the novelty.

This invention relates to that class of devices known as clothes sticks and tongs, and the object of the same is to produce a pair of wooden tongs which will not split in the joint between the two members.

To this end the invention consists in certain improvements over and on Patent No. 398,089, issued February 19, 1889, to IV. H. Scott, all as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of these improved tongs, showing their manner of use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the joint between the two members, showing in dotted lines the brace for the lower part of the joint.

The letters M M designate two members, preferably of wood and about three feet in length, suitably stained, painted or oiled so as to be practically impervious to water and not readily injured by strong suds. The bodies of these members are preferably rectangular, as shown, and provided near one end with intermeshing coarse teeth T T adapted for the better grasping of the clothes. Their other ends, for about one-third of the length of the members, are rounded or formed into handles H H, preferably connected at their extremities by a chain 0 to prevent a too great separation thereof. Between the lower rectangular portions is interposed a spring S of any convenient form, here shown as secured at one end to one member, with its other end sliding in a groove G in the other member, so as to permit the two members to lie close against each other when the tongs are closed. Just below this expansive spring I preferably arrange a toggle, consisting of two links L L, the former being pivoted, as shown, at the inner end of an oblique recess Z, and the latter, L, being pivoted to the outer end of the first link and also within an oblique recess Z, which has an additional recess Z for the admission of the inner end of the first link when the tongs are closed. There is preferably another pair of links, forming an additional toggle on the opposite face of the members, though such second toggle may be dispensed with. The function of these toggles is to permit the jaws of the tongs to be approximated at will, and yet to hold the two members always in the same plane so that the teeth T shall properly engage each other. If the chain 0 is used, it will be short enough to prevent the toggles straightening out, so as to prevent the closing of the members; otherwise the wider ends Z of the recesses, which incline toward the pivot I, will perform this function. The chain serves also as a means for hanging up the tongs when not in use.

In making tongs of this character of wood, either for the purpose of'handling clothes or for any other use to which they may be put, I have found that the joint between the two members is a weak point, and the wood at that point is very likely to break or split, especially if it becomes wet and is permitted to swell and shrink again. I have therefore devised certain improvements for joints of this character, which I preferably use, as will now be described.

The letter F designates a flattened enlargement, from diametrically-opposite sides of which the body of the member M and handle II project so that the inner faces of such parts lie about in a straight line. The adjacent face of the other member is provided with shoulders, which rise flush with the face of this enlargement and are'curved, as atr, to receive the correspondingly-rounded sides of the enlargement, all as is now common in joints of this character; but this joint is greatly strengthened by the insertion of a stout metallic strip or brace B, which stands oblique to the grain of the member and is inserted in said enlargement F flush with its outer face, as seen, and held in position by means of screws N. The pivot-bolt P passes through the center of this brace, then through the enlargement F, then through the enlargement of the other member, then through the opposite brace, as indicated by dotted lines, and finally receives a nut on its other end, as

will be clear; and it will be obvious that the 7 two braces will extend obliquely across the opposite sides of the joint at angles to each other.

111 the use of this improved pair of tongs as a clothes-stick the handles are grasped in one hand against the tension of the spring, which latter throws the toothed jaws open. Such jaws are then inserted in the tub containing the clothes and hot suds and moved around until an article of clothing may be grasped, when, by pressure on the handles, the teeth will pinch the piece of clothing like a pair of pinchcrs, and it can be moved about in the suds, pressed against the side 01 the tub, rolled on the closed ends of the tongs, or lifted out of the suds entirely.

The utility of the device will be obvious to every washerwoman, and it is also useful in 1 many other ways which need not be specified here. As for the improvements, it will be 3 clear that the toggles strengthen the members and keep them always in alignment, and the braces at the joint serve to prevent the splitting of the wood of the two members at this usually very weak point. i

I do not limit myself to the exact details of 1 construction, as considerable change may be 1 made without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as the device is made to conform with the scope of the following claims. y

hat is claimed as new is l 1. A pair of crossed members pivoted at l l l their point of crossing considerably nearer one end than the other, the short arms torming handles and the inner faces of the longer arms being provided with teeth, complementary oblique recesses being formed in the edge of each longer arm, and an additional recess being formed at the inner end of one oblique recess; combined with a toggle consisting of two links pivoted in the deeper ends of said oblique recesses with their intermediate pivot adapted to enter said additional recess when the arms are approximated, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of two crossed members pivoted to each other at their point of crossing and formed into arms at one side and handles at the other side of said pivot, and a spring for normally distendin g said arms; with a toggle for each face of the device consisting of two links pivoted to each other at their inner ends, each arm being provided with an oblique recess in the deeper end of which the outer end of its link is pivoted, said deeper end standing remote from the pivot connecting the members and inclining toward such pivot to prevent the alignment of the links, substantially as described.

$3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of crossed members, a pivot through them at their point of crossing forming handles at oneside and arms at the other side of such pivot, and a chain connecting the handles; of an expansive spring between the arms, and a toggle connecting said arms beyond such spring, the chain be ing of a length to prevent the alignment of the links of the toggle, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the 27th day of June, A. l). 1895.

WILLIAM PETERSON.

Witnesses:

tlnais PETERSON, JOHN W. STREIB. 

